Requiem for a Mariage
by Panther Nesmith
Summary: Rating only because Belladonna mentions killing. And I meantion a card game called b.s.
1. Requiem for a Marriage

Hey all!  
  
I love stories about the New Orleans guilds. And If I've seen a fic from Belladonna's point of veiw, it hasn't been recently. so I hope you enjoy this!  
  
***  
  
Belladonna paced her room, looking at the pictures on her dresser. They were mostly of her with the one person who'd been her friend. She had a lot of people who had played with her, but only one person really mattered. HE was the best friend she'd ever had.  
  
One of the pictures was of them playing Bullshit when they were five. Belladonna had always dominated him in that card game, being an unbelieveably good bluffer. But he had learend quickly enough. Belladonna rememebered tht shortly after that picture had been taken, her best friend had started to beat her at the game.  
  
With a sigh, Belladonna picked up a more recent picture. It had them in a restaurant, Belle beaming, and truly living up to her name. He looked as handsome as ever, even though he was wearing unglasses. Even though the restaurant was dimly lit on its own. Actually, Belle knew, because it was so dimly lit.  
  
Belladonna set the picture badck down, picking up another instead. This one had him without the sunglasses, on the whole how she preffered him. He could hide and lie tot eh others, but never to her. She could see through to the man underneath it all. What she saw was a man that had always been there, who loved her.  
  
The picture hit the dresser with a sound thunk. Belle had, very carefully, slammed it back down. She wrapped her arms around her self, looking morosely in any direction but where the pictures where. Her father was furious, still, and refused to listen to reason. Belle realized that she shouldn't be pining over the man who'd murdered her brother, who'sname was a vile curse in her home. But seh was so incredib;y lonely. With both ehr brother and her husband gone,   
  
The bed creaked under Belladonna's weight. She curled up with the pilllow in her arms. Not crying. She never cried. It was against everything she stood for. But she had to do something with all the sadness and loneliness bubbling through her, like she was being filled with this dark hopelessness from a different source, a strong powerful river of self-pity and grieving.  
  
Belladonna wrapped the blankets around her, wishing desperatly for hte entrance of her husband, to provide much better insulation against the cold, and adam for the feeling building up inside her. She wished for her brother to walk in and say good night before going out on a job. Belle missed working. If she had something to do during the lonely nights, instead of just being forced to miss the two most important men in her life, beside her father, she might have been better.  
  
Her job was looking more and more appealing to ehr every minute, as she lay in her bed, loooking at the pictures on her dresser. Yes, tomorrow she'd demand ehr father let her take a job. Maybe something easy, in case her emotional state messed ehr up. But it was time to get back to business. She hated just laying in bed missing someone who chose not to come bak for her. The mopy passive-aggressive attitude was not her style, adn never would be. Belladonna threw the blankets off of ehrself and strode out of er room, crossing the distance in large steps, not even glancing at the shrine she'd built to what had been. It was time to live in the present. Time to throw away the grief that was going to enfold her. Time to kill someone again.  
  
***  
  
Fun stuff. I like Belle.  
  
I close my eyes and carry on REVIEW!  
  
Peace and Love,  
  
Panther Nesmith 


	2. Dreams of our Fathers

Another Belladonna/Remy songfic. If someone could tell me how to get FF's editor tosingle space whne you hit 'enter', that would be lovely.

* * *

_Oh, I'm choking, _

_I'm choking _

_On the smoke from this burning house_

Julien looked at the wedding invitation shoved under his nose. It was attached to one of the thieves that was apparently closely related to the groom, but not close enough to be one of his many groomsmen. The disenfranchised Bordeaux child took the invitation, glaring at the other man.

Emile Lapin just grinned and bowed slightly. He had expected this kind of thing. It was amusing, and he was drunk, beside. The weapons check lady at the front had been a big tip off to the fathers' caution, and Emile had to admit, it probably wasn't unwarranted.

_I claw and I scrape _

_But I can't seem to get out_

Belladonna held her breath, as her bridesmaids tightened her corset again. There was no reason for it to be so tight, but a stupid guild tradition said that it had to be like that. Her hands clawed at the unwanted undergarment unconsciously. Tante Mattie sat in a chair nearby and oversaw the girls' preparations, making sure it all went smoothly. She also over looked the fact that, as far as she could see, the entire wedding party was armed. The girls were assassins, and the weapons they were carrying were not only very ornate, but most likely just there for comfort, and not protection.

Finally the corset was tied off, and the girls made sure Belladonna could still breathe. When she started cursing at them for breaking her ribs, they all smiled at each other for a job well done.

_But who then, who is this _

_That's scratching from the ground _

_Oh, it's my world, too_

_But whose gold is this I'm digging out?_

Jean-Luc LeBeau watched his youngest son getting ready, reminiscing about his own wedding. Things had been different then, and so much simpler. But a of them were the same. The same cloth draped over his neck, left hanging in the back, symbolizing purity. Or at the very least that he hadn't slept with another woman for the month preceding his wedding, which was something, at any rate. Same brother giving him manly advice, thought Henri's advice was more along the lines of what to do when your wife has an irreversible bad mood swing, and you still have a hang-over from the event she's pissed off about.

And yet, the differences were there. Remy had known his wife to be a lot longer than Jean-Luc had known his wife. But the two hadn't hit it off well. There was a barrier. Jean-Luc sighed, internally. Marius had promised to keep his son in check, but that meant little, since the father had lost control of the son. Jean-Luc watched Remy a little longer, before shooing Henri out to give his soon to be wed son advice he may well need. Unfortunately, it involved swordplay, and not the sort of tips his father had given him, like what kind of thing women tended to enjoy in bed.

_When we go, where we go _

_When we're dead _

_Is the verdict still out?_

Marius watched the people come in and go out, a large mass of joyful, happy people, but with a tangible undercurrent of unease. Julien was no doubt being his usual charming self, because the assassins were more ill at ease than their thief brethren. Or those who would soon be their brethren, anyway. He fidgeted with his suit, not comfortable in the ceremonial clothing. It was made for men who were more petit than himself. He caught a guest, one of his assassins, who went by the moniker 'Gris-Gris'.

"Ma fille? Ou' (accents suck, lack thereof even more so) est ma fille?" He asked, before shaking his head, his brain still functioning in the french that all political business was done in the guilds.

"Easy, M. Bordeaux." Gris-Gris said, not entirely sure how to comfort his leader. "It's not Belle y' should be worried 'bout, anyway. Y' should get y' fils in check, den worry about toi fille, in all respect."

Marius sighed, giving Gris-Gris a sharp look for his teasing. But the boy had a point. He shook his head, looking around for the other man he needed to see. "Where's Jean-Luc?"

Gris-Gris shrugged. "Talkin' t' his son, I'll bet. Mebe y' should take de chance t' do de same wit' y' daughter, hein?" He answered, adjusting his robe, which he was unhappy about wearing, but forced to, for the ceremony.

Marius gave the younger man a piercing look, before giving him an approving look. "Merci, Gris-Gris. Keep un oeil. . . an eye on Julien, s'il te plait"

Gris-Gris grinned and nodded, amused that his boss was so nervous he was messing up. It wasn't a good sign, necessarily, but seeing Marius flustered was rare, so you had to enjoy it when you got the chance to.

_Do we get into line _

_To line up with those long dead now?_

When Maruis saw his daughter, his heart stopped. She looked exactly like his wife. It was amazing. His beautiful baby girl, all grown up, and so much in love she couldn't see straight. This was the moment all fathers waited for. Almost all, anyway. And he was glad to see her like this. But his thoughts turned to his son, and he shifted nervously. the boy was ambitious, but Marius could feel something else from the boy as well. Even Tante Mattie had felt the need to comment on it once or twice, but only in private, far away from Belladonna.

All those thoughts melted away when Belladonna saw him, and gave him the brightest smile he'd seen on her face in a very long time. The bridesmaids were putting flowers in her hair, which had been brushed more than a hundred times each.

Marius beamed at his little girl, who smiled even brighter as a result. She didn't say anything, and he didn't either. He couldn't warn her about her brother. Nothing in the world could make him wipe that smile off her face. The bridesmaids finished her hair, and left her the make up she picked out, to give the bride some alone time with her father.

_With the muffled tears of sorrow _

_Bones underground_

Julien watched the girls pour out of the bride's dressing room. He craned his neck to try and catch a glimpse of his sister, but the view was blocked by the other girls, who were chattering, and occasionally shooting him nervous glance. He laughed, a small, derisive sound, that had nothing but twisted mirth behind it. So the stupid women thought he might try something tonight. It was amazing to think that they might be right, for once.

They always skirted around him, shunning him. Only his sister understood him. Which brought him back to his current source of anger. How dare that man, that womanizing bastard son of a whore, taught to be a dirty thief, marry his perfect and wonderful sister. There was no justice in the world, of that he was sure. The only thing he could get was man made justice. And that would come about soon enough. He would make sure. This thought alone kept him from jus barging into the groom's room and killing the man right then and there. Strategically speaking, he was better off to wait, and obtain power and his sister.

_Is this time our time?_

_Yes, it is _

_Without or with this shadow of doubt_

Both fathers finished their various talks, and left their children, to meet in a preplanned spot, to compare notes. If nothing more, the two fathers had become friends, or at least gained respect from the whole thing. That seemed to be the most vital aspect of the whole thing. Building mutual respect between the guilds. Being torn apart for centuries had left a lot of hatchets that hadn't been buried, and the ones that had been seemed to just turn into land mines.

Marius and Jean-Luc looked at each other, without saying anything. Neither one wanted to offend the other by implying that their sons were not right. But something had to be said. "I'm afraid Julien's got bad ideas." Jean-Luc said, running his hand over his heavily slicked back hair.

Marius nodded. "Oui. I know. But he wouldn' do anyt'in' t' hurt his sister. He loves her. I'm jes' afraid dat mebe Remy'll say somet'in' in fun 'n' m' boy'll take it de wrong way. . ."

"I tol' 'im t' keep a good hold on his tongue." Jean-Luc assured the other man, keeping his temper under control. This day wasn't about them, and making a scene would be gouache and wrong. Not to mention counter productive.

Marius nodded. "I tol' m' boy t' watch hisself. If he starts any trouble, I'm tol' de bridesmaids got ways of intervenin'."

Jean-Luc chuckled, holding his lips closed with his knuckles. "Sorry," he apologized. "Jes' de t'ought of de bridesmaids in deir pretty dresses attackin' someone."

Marius chuckled little as well, glad the awkward moment had passed. This was the way things should have been from the start. One guild, united. Their strength, numbers, and intake doubled, not to mention the prevention of the eventual thinning of blood lines that was becoming the trend. Both leaders knew this, and they had spent many nights talking about it. It made them sad, but gave them hope for this alliance, since, when the guilds figured this out, they would be ready to make peace to preserve the families for their grand children.

_I don't want to wake up _

_Lost in the Dreams of our Fathers_

Remy looked at himself in the mirror. This was it. The day he had been preparing for. The end of the beginning, and hopefully not the beginning of the end. He had a beautiful woman waiting to promise to be his forever, and he was going to be hers.

Stability wasn't something he'd had a lot of in life, but it was something that seemed very attractive to him then. Especially stability with Belle. Someone who understood him, and loved him, not for his being a womanizer with a sweet tongue (though she had admitted, that certainly hadn't hurt), but because she knew him as a person. As much as he had allowed her to get to know him, anyway.

Despite his excitement, there was a niggling of doubt. This wasn't his idea. If he had been told to marry some other assassin, and been in love with Belle, then he wouldn't have been able to make that choice for himself. This was something he had to do, as much as he wanted to do it as well. It didn't sit with him as well as it ought to have. Henri had explained that this was just how things were done, and at least they were in love from the start, as opposed to him and his wife, who had fought like cats and dogs at first.

This was what bothered Remy, too. That his father would force him to marry someone he didn't like, or even know. Just for a truce. The guild came before him. Which was what he had been taught from the beginning. It was a lesson he had refused to learn. He knew that the guild would use you, if you let it, as readily as it'd protect you, and probably do both at the same time.

_Oh, it's such a waste child _

_To live and die for the dreams of our fathers_

Belladonna paced her room, getting used to her shoes. At least that was what she had told Mattie, before the older woman had taken her leave, in order to get a good seat. But the young girl was really thinking. Mostly about the coming wedding night. She knew what was going to happen. Her father had shown her the suite he'd rented for them. She could imagine what Remy would do with those amenities. A shiver of delight coursed over her body. If they had nothing else, they had good physical chemistry.

She sighed and chewed her lip, glad she had opted to forgo make up for the moment. Thinking about sex always brought up the thought of children, ever since Mattie had told her that as Remy's wife, she was expected to conceive as soon as possible. She had been given a drug to make her more fertile, and had been on it since the week before the wedding.

The thought of having children scared her. Sure, the little kids would be the poster children for inter-guild co-operation, but that's all anyone saw them as. Assets, more ties that bind. Not miniature humans, who would need care and love. Never mind if neither parent was at the point in their life where they were comfortable being parents.

There were still old holdover views that stated her function was to produce an heir to the collective guild to rally the people around. That was what the fathers wanted. But it was not what she wanted. She wanted to marry Remy. The love she felt for him was unquestionable. Love wasn't maturity, though, and she knew that, in her mind, she wasn't mature enough for kids.

_Though I must confess, yes _

_My view is a wonder about this _

_This love I possess, love _

_Must be the dreams of our fathers_

Both soon to be newlyweds heard the beginning strains of the opening song. The guild elders had to be in place before the wedding could even begin to commence. Though neither knew it, they both had the same deer-in-headlights look on their faces. This was it, the point of no return. Remy was bound to the ceremony, and Belladonna was bound to his bed. She made a nervous noise, and sat down to hurriedly do her make-up, while Remy contemplated the folly in having breakfast that morning.

_I wanna go, _

_I wanna run _

_We turn, so sure someone's looking down _

_I__t's haunting me, haunting me _

_Leaves us here to get out_

Soon it was Remy's turn to walk down the aisle, accompanied by Henri, his father, and one of the male assassins. Remy mused on how the groomsmen were either there to be moral support to those who were about to marry, or there to block his escape. The presence of Gris-gris suggested the latter, though having his father and brother there helped a bit.

Belladonna finished her make-up just in time to be swept away by her taffeta clad prison guards. Sure, they were her friends, and her soon-to-be Brother-in-law's wife, but that didn't make them any less her keepers. They were going to lead her to the man holding her captive, with bonds that wound around her heart and soul. Part of her relished the fact, and part of her was very afraid. Belladonna shook the fear off. Marius was waiting by the door, and offered his arm to Belladonna, who beamed at him. Ready or not, she was going in.

_Though I don't believe,_

_I don't believe _

_This flavor in my mouth _

_Is from my tongue alone_

The ceremony was, unlike most guild functions, short. The founding fathers had been very fond of celebration, and any ceremony that preceded one was usually as brief as it could possibly be. Belladonna and Remy were asked if they wanted to be married, and both answered, rather nervously, to the affirmative. The priest had given them a cup of wine, which Belladonna held while Remy drank from it, and then he held it for her. Then the priest had them put their hands on the table, and bound them together with a red scarf, declaring them married before the sight of God, the state, and the guild. Remy grinned at his new bride and kissed her deeply, relishing in the cat calls from his side, and the giggling from Belladonna's bridesmaids.

_So bitter, I wanna spit it out_

Julien seethed as Remy and Belladonne kissed. How dare he flaunt what he had stolen. His time would come, Julien vowed. It would come as soon as the crowd was a bit tipsy, and his allies had gotten their things from the weapons check lady. Until then, the only thing he could do was watch his sister kiss Remy as passionately as he kissed her, and wait for his turn. By the time he gained power over the guilds, she would love him like that.

_I repeat these words _

_They come out under the blue lights in the sky_

The reception was about to start going full swing when Marius and Jean-Luc stood up, quieting the large band that had been hired for the occasion. Everyone present looked at the guild leaders, who seemed more like proud fathers than authoritarian figures.

"I b'lieve it's time f'r speaches." Jean-Luc announced, looking at Marius. Marius nodded.

"We bot' had basically de same t'in' t' say t' de newlyweds, so we goan give de same speech, takin' turns, f'r better efficiency." Marius announced, giving a table of rowdy assassins a look. "Y' all know how I am about efficiency." He noted, the smirk absent from his face present in his voice.

Jean-Luc cleared his throat, and looked at his note cards, just for security. "Remy, it's been a joy t' have y' as m' son. I wish y' all de healt' 'n' happiness in de world. Take care of Belle, 'n' cherish every moment y' toget'er." He said, looking at his son.

Marius took over. "Belladonna Angelique Carmen Bourdeaux LeBeau, y've grown up t' be so beautiful. Y' mot'er would be so proud o' y'. Be a good wife, and a smart woman. Honor and cherish Remy, 'cause de world sure doan give y' enough time wit' de people y' love."

Henri stood up, while the two fathers composed themselves. "As de groom's brot'er, I ain't got much t' add t' dat, except t' say dat I see you two bein' t'gether f'r a very long time."

_My empty pages are filling up _

_With these wicked lies_

Julien seethed as person after person made speeches wishing Remy and Belladonna a happy life together, and it only got worse when he noted that with every speech, the couple got closer and closer to each other, smiling and exchanging whispered secrets in between each speech. The jealousy and pain at loosing that kind of connection with Belladonna made him seethe.

_But I hear deep in myself _

_An echo, an echo _

_Of empty, empty emptiness _

_Comes up and swells inside_

The speeches ended fairly quickly, with Remy and Belladonna thanking everyone for their kind words. The band started up again, a slow, gentle song. Remy led Belladonna to the dance floor, and they started to dance, slightly formal at first, but becoming more and more intimate as the song wore on. By the midway point, they were fused together, lost in their own little world.

Other couples began to move onto the dance floor when the first song ended, and soon everybody who could coerce someone into dancing with them was on the floor. Those who weren't dancing were watching and laughing, or taking advantage of the open bar.

Julien downed another drink, trying to make the anger and emptiness go away. They wouldn't help him when he did what he had to do. It was better to be drunk than emotionally attached. His father had taught him that lesson when he'd first started killing. He'd shown the boy that while he was sober, the family dog was something the young boy would never hurt. But once the older man had given the boy enough to drink, it had been a simple matter to kill Paule. Julien had cried over her body, and completely missed the point of the exercise. Marius had been trying to teach him that a clear head was nessisary, or you would do horrible things you'd regret later.

_I don't want to wake up _

_Lost in the Dreams of our Fathers _

_Oh, it's such a waste child _

_To live and die for the Dreams of our Fathers_

Remy and Belladonna retired from the dance floor and started walking through the woods nearby. Belladonna's dress was fairly tight to her body, making it easier to maneuver than if she had gone for the hundred of layers of tulle she'd put her bridesmaids in.

The newlyweds walked silently, Remy helping Belladonna when her skirt made getting past obstacles difficult. Finally they located their secret spot. It was the place they'd always come to when they were children. Remy motioned to the bench, which he'd covered with a white cloth earlier that day, for this moment.

"Y' look beautiful, Chere." she said, after Belladonna had gracefully set herself on the bench. She smiled and kissed him deeply, her earlier line of daydreams rushing to the front of her mind. Remy gently pulled her closer to him, returning her kiss, and deepening it.

Belladonna worked at his buttons, removing his coat, then unbuttoning his shirt. Remy gasped ass he started to kiss, then gently bite, the skin she revealed with each button, tormenting her new husband as much as she could. Remy mused about how this was the best obligation he'd ever had to fulfill, and, for the first time, wasn't horrified at the thought of being forced to marry.

Belladonna felt his hands look for the zipper to her dress. She moved forward, so his hands fell to the small of her back, where the twenty buttons that held her dress on her body were located. He cursed at the buttons, but set about undoing them, doing fairly well, considering her was being distracted by the continuous downward motion of Belladonna's kisses.

Once they were freed of their clothing, which both took good care not to get dirty or too wrinkled, Belladonna stood before her husband, who was still sitting on the bench. She smiled, and caressed her stomach, imagining what his children would look like. "Y' look tres beau y'self." she noted, before kneeling on either side of his legs. Remy made a noise in the back of his throat, and consummated his marriage.

_Though I must confess, yes _

_My view is a wonder about this _

_This love I possess, love _

_It must be the dreams of our fathers_

Julien noted that Remy and Belladonna had taken leave of the party. He growled and left to track them, bent on protecting his sister's honor. This seemed like the time to strike. He didn't even need his allies to fight off the other guests.

It took very little effort for Julien to find his sister and her husband. He watched as Remy clutched at Belladonna's hips, small half growling noises alerting the lovelorn brother to the fact that even if he rushed into the clearing with his sword drawn, Remy would have polluted his sister long before he'd died.

_Rain on my head _

_Rain on my head _

_Rain on me _

_And then give me air_

So Julien watched Belladonna, entranced by the way her breasts jumped while she worked on making her husband come. He imagined what it would be like to have her straddling his hips, to feel her soft body taking in his hard penis. He got a slightly glazed look in his eyes, which only broke when Remy pulled Belladonna's hips down forcibly, arching his back into her, and grunting, signaling his orgasm. Belladonna kissed him deeply, and raised herself up, giving Julien a good look at Remy's spent penis. Julien growled a little bit, but tried to keep quiet as much as he could. It was only fair to let Belladonna get some pleasure out her husband before he died. And he knew Remy would give it to her.

Remy gave his wife a devilish grin when they broke their kiss, before pushing her gently onto the bench. It wasn't long enough for her to lay on, so she sat on the very edge, looking at Remy expectantly.

Julien watched Remy's hand roam over her body, and couldn't help but adjust the crotch of his pants. Hearing his sister's reaction to his motions was going to be too much, and he knew it. He started to slowly undo his fly, watching Remy's hands travel in ever lower circles. Belladonna gasped when they finally reached her thighs, and opened her legs as far as she could. Julien had to muffle a groan. She was so sexy, so. . .not his. Remy knelt on the ground, and kissed her knees, moving slowly up her legs. She gasped and writhed as Remy tormented her. Julien was massaging himself, no longer paying attention to anything but the daydream playing in his head, and Belladonna's whimpering and moans. The jealous assassin vowed to make his day dream a reality, jerking his hand faster and faster, his breathing increasing pace and depth as well.

The only thing saving Julien from discovery then was Belladonna's orgasm. Remy pulled his mouth away from her labia, giving her thighs one last parting kiss, before standing up. Belladonna was sprawled against the back of the bench, panting and still whimpering slightly. Remy grinned and caressed her face, before kissing her again. She tasted the mix of her sexual fluids and Remy's semen, and felt a small shiver of delight. This was the way her husband tasted after sex. This was the way they'd produce their heirs, when they did.

_Rain on my love _

_Again and again_

Belladonna sighed and frowned a little. Remy looked at her, curious. Belladonna started to pull her underwear on, motioning for Remy to do the same.

"Doan tell me y' didn't enjoy dat." he said, sitting next to Belladonna.

_Why can't I dream you away from me?_

Belladonna sighed. "Non, cher. Dat was. . .wonderful. Jes' rememberin' de pep talk I got las' night from dad." She explained, as she dressed, turning so Remy could redo the buttons he'd been so excited to undo. He pulled his pants on and aided Belladonna in her re-dressing.

Remy nodded. "Yeah. Not all dat heartfelt, I'll bet. My father tol' me dat if I screw dis up, he'll let y' kill me." He finished her buttons and located his shirt, pulling it on as Belladonna further explained her sudden mood shift.

"He tol' me dat I have t' get pregnant as soon as possible." she said.

Remy paused in his buttoning. "Quoi?"

Belladonna nodded, resuming the buttoning of his shirt where he had left off. "He said dat we need t' produce an heir f'r de guilds t' rally aroun'." Remy blanched visibly, and Belle nodded. That had been her reaction, too.

The newlyweds looked over at the bushes nearby as Julien popped up, enraged. "How dare y' act like dat! Mon souer is more dan good enough t' give birt' t' y'r spawn! Y' couldn't fin' a better mot'er, 'n' I know you been tryin'!"

Remy gave his brother-in-law a surprised look. "What de hell! Were y' watchin' us?"

Belladonna crossed her arms over her body, feeling that famliar feeling of bad news coming. She knew what her brother was like, what he wanted. But she couldn't help but love him. She could easily see he was drunk, and that made the situation even more dangerous for all involved. "Back down, Julien." she said, reaching out to calm her brother.

Julien grabbed Belladonna's hand, pulling her toward him. She fought him, and almost got away, until he wrapped his arms around her and forced her to kiss him. Belladonna pushed him away, smacking him with all her might. Years of practicing swordplay and knife craft had given her a lot of might. Julien was nearly sent reeling..

Remy was at a complete loss for words. He'd blown it off when Jean-Luc had eluded at Julien's incestuous tendencies, but this was proof, staring him in the eyes. He watched the even more enraged assassin shove Belladonna to the ground, and scream "Defend yourself!"

Remy dodged the sword, looking for a stick to use in his defense, or something, anything. Belladonna screamed and tried to pull Julien away from Remy. He turned and threw her off, into the bench. She hit her head and slumped forward, out cold.

Remy used Julien's distraction to take the sword from him, putting the blade under his throat. Julien spat at him. "Kill me, if y' got de balls."

Remy shook his head, putting the sword down. "I killed my share." He said, setting the sword under the bench. He placed himself between Belladonna and her brother. "But I ain't beat de shit outta nearly enough people." Remy growled, before lunging at his brother-in-law.

The party guests heard Belladonna scream. Jean-Luc and Maruis did a quick head count and found that Julien and the bride and groom were missing. Mattie was way ahead of them, already diving the way they had gone, followed by a group of thieves and assassins.

Remy and Julien were in a furious fight. Julien was pinned by the taller man, who was holding his shoulders. Julien reached down to his belt and pulled out a long knife, and slashed upward at Remy. Remy tried to dodge, but caught the knife along his ribs. Julien smiled in satisfaction, watching Remy jump away, relishing in the sight of his opponent's blood gushing down his shirt.

_Look here, look here _

_Bloated, floating _

_Go belly down _

_Belly up in the water _

_But who is this here that's drowned?_

Julien didn't spend much time gloating, however. He waited until Remy was bent over on hands and knees by the bench. The young assassin lunged at Remy, trying to plant the knife in his back. Both fighters were oblivious to the crowd that was watching, unaware of why the duel had been called, or by whom.

Remy pulled the sword from it's resting place, and lunged at Julien. Both men fell in a heap, and both fathers yelled. Soon the malaise was broken, and the whole wedding party descended on the combatants.

_We followed a drunken man _

_He got us all spinning round_

The assassins that Julien had gotten to help him with the duel looked at each other, each letting the others know that they agreed with the plan to keep quite they'd come up with, just in case things went awry. It had been a stupid idea, and very bad for the peace they all wanted. But you listened to the guild master's son, even if you didn't want to.

_But it's like he swallowed himself _

_And didn't leave us a way out_

Belladonna awoke in the sick room of the assassin's guild. The guilds had each built underground complexes, at first to protect themselves from being discovered by the world at large, and then to keep from being killed by the other guild. She saw her father and Mattie standing next to an adjacent curtain. Mattie looked like she was hard at work. Belladonna had no idea what to think, or what to do.

She felt a hand land lightly on her shoulder, and turned to look at it's owner. Remy smiled wanly at his wife. Belladonna sat up and hugged him, before the blood rushing to her head made her blank out a bit. Remy yelped slightly when she squeezed his stitches, but held on to her tightly until she got her bearings.

Marius looked over at Belladonna and Remy. He looked hollow, like someone had poured out all his joy, and youth. Belladonna looked at him, asking him with her eyes what she couldn't ask out loud. He shook his head.

"It doan look good f'r y' brot'er." He managed to announce, his voice cracking a little. Belladonna gasped, and clutched at Remy's arms.

He sat down next to her, and told her what had happened. How Marius and Jean-Luc had finally gotten a group of assassins who were armed more than their guild regulations allowed to confess to Julien's plot, how he had fought her brother, and how he had done the only thing he could think to do to save himself and his wife. Belladonna cried softly, but listened, until he told her how he had impaled her brother. She broke down and sobbed as hard as her body would permit, then, clinging to Remy like a life line. He soothed her, and cried along with her. Soon both of them had spent their tears.

_I don't want to wake up _

_Lost in the Dreams of our Fathers _

_Oh, it's such a shame child _

_To live and die for the Dreams of our Fathers_

Belladonna curled up on her bed, physically and emotionally exhausted. Remy lay down next to her, rubbing her back and whispering assurances to her. She could hear and feel him, and appreciated it, but her entire focus was on watching Mattie and her father. She started to drift off, despite herself. Remy was already halfway asleep himself, moving closer to Belladonna, wrapping his arms around her.

_Though I must confess, yes _

_My view is a wonder about this _

_This love I possess, love _

_It must be the dreams of our fathers_

Julien drifted in and out of consciousness, but mostly he was out. His dreams were vibrant and beautiful. His sister and himself, ruling the guilds. The way she would feel underneath him, their beautiful children. . .all the things the future held for him. He smiled and embraced the dreams. This was the way their lives should have been.

_This love I possess love_

Remy awoke an hour later, disoriented. He heard someone crying, and looked up at the source of the noise. Belladonna was standing with her father, looking at something behind a curtain. the realization of what must have happened hit him, and he felt sick. Another death on his head. More blood on his already soaked hands.

He jumped when he heard Jean-Luc's voice. The old man grabbed Remy by the collar, pulling him out of the room. Remy stumbled along, wondering what fresh hell this was.

The old man looked at Remy. He was unusually pinched and sour looking. "Fils, de gone banish y'. Dey wanted t' kill y', but den we got dose assassins t' confess t' bein' in league wit' Julien. Dey know dat y' acted in self-defense. But y' can't stay, boy. Dey givin' y' 'til tomorrow t' leave, wit' o' wit'out y' wife."

Remy gave Jean-Luc a shocked look, stammering for something to say. Jean-Luc held up his hand, silencing his son. "Boy, dere's some real unfriendly folk who doan wan' y' t'm leave dis buildin' alive. Y' should come wit' me, 'n' I'll help y' get packed, or y' should go back in dere wit' y' wife. Marius already promised he'd protect y' 'til y' leave dis city."

The younger man stopped stammering and took a deep breath. To leave the guild meant death. But it also meant leaving the guild. Maybe he had been taught a far too fatalistic outlook on life outside. He sighed again, and made his decision. "I'm ready t' leave."

* * *

Reveiw!

Peace and Love,

Panther Nesmith


	3. Lovers in a Dangerous Time

Belladonna/Remy songfic. I love this one. And I forgot I wrote it at all. Bad me.

* * *

_Don't the hours grow shorter as the days go by? _

_We never get to stop and open our eyes._

Belladonna paced her room, still wearing her wedding dress. The night had been a complete disaster. She was waiting for Remy to come back to her, and tell her what was going to happen to her. The waiting made her nervous, even though Fifolet was staying with her. They both knew that Fifolet was mainly there to keep her from marching up to the guild heads and demanding her husband be given back to her.

Julien came into her thoughts every now and then. She hated to admit that she wasn't sad to see him dead. Even assassins won't kill their own unless they have to. But when he'd died, her only concern had been for her husband, not for her brother. The others hadn't noticed this, yet, but they would. Perhaps they would ask questions, perhaps they would just write it off as having too much grief. Either way, she would have to come to terms with why she wasn't sad to see her brother go. Even she wasn't entirely sure why. Maybe because his last act had been one of greed and jealousy, and those qualities made very bad leaders. Something told her this wasn't right, that a deeper meaning to her lack of grief would show itself eventually.

Belle shook her head and paced faster, trying not to think. She swung her dress and turned to make it flare out the way a little girl would, just to give herself something to do.

_One minute you're waiting for the sky to fall _

_Next you're dazzled by the beauty of it all._

It was Fifolet, oddly enough, who noticed Remy's arrival first. He had been looking out the window when Belle's husband poked his head in. Fifolet cleared his throat a bit, to get Belle's attention. Remy watched, wondering what the young assassin would do.

"Ma'am, dere's a killer in de window. Wan' me t' close it?" Fifolet asked, trying not to smirk. Belladonna gave him a look that could cut steel. Fifolet bowed and went for the door. "S'pose three's a crowd. Bon nuit, ma'am."

"Bastard." Belle muttered, before turning to the window. Remy had pulled himself in, and was standing in front of it, his usual debonair smirk a thing of the past. Belle hugged him, tightly, putting inch of her anguish and pain into it. Remy hugged her back just as fiercely, burying his face in her hair, determined to take in every aspect of her body before he had to leave.

_Lovers in a dangerous time _

_Lovers in a dangerous time_

Belle pulled back and looked at Remy, her eyes searching for some sign of what was going to happen, some hint at their shared fate. But Remy had a poker face that could fool an FBI agent, and gave away nothing. Belle sighed and stroked his face. "Cheri, what are we goin' t' do?"

Remy kissed her forehead. He kissed her eyes. He kissed everything he could, and marveled inwardly at his own self control, grimly proud that he wasn't crying. Even though his heart hurt him in a way that he'd never known before, even though his life had just gone up in smoke, even though he'd just found out what hell really was; life without his wife's touch, without family and friends, haunted and tainted, like a mongrel in the streets. He held his tears in, knowing that if he started crying, he'd never stop, and Belle would cry too, and they'd spend the night like children in a storm, too afraid to move.

_These fragile bodies of touch and taste _

_This fragrant skin, this hair like lace _

_Spirits open to thrust of grace, _

_Never a breath you can afford to waste._

Belle didn't resist when Remy nudged the straps of her wedding gown off her shoulders, and began furiously working at the buttons of his shirt, desperate to move so fast her brain couldn't catch up. To stay in her world of lust and love as long as possible, as if she could wish away the morning if she could only prove she loved her husband enough.

Remy shared his wife's need for escape, and matched her frenzied pace, until they were both standing in front of each other, their clothing tossed in the corner, and out of the way. Belle's wedding dress was crushed beneath his clothes, his shoes leaving traces of mud that would be dried and the source forgotten by the time she noticed them.

Marius almost knocked on Belle's door, to console his daughter that the right choice had been made, when he heard what was going on inside. He nearly broke the door in when he heard Remy's voice. It was Jean Luc's hand on his shoulder alone that stopped him from tearing Remy away form his daughter and killing the young man himself. Jean Luc nearly had to drag him away by his hair when a low, throaty moan came through the door. It took nearly an hour to convince Marius that if he broke in on the couple during their last night together, it would not only break the agreement they'd made with each other and therefore start a war, but it would also be better for the newlyweds say their goodbyes.

_Lovers in a dangerous time_

Belle was laying on the bed, now, Remy hovered over her like a humming bird, tasting every part of her body, determined to take every bit of her sweetness with him when he left, to keep him warm, maybe even sane. Belle was glad for the almost torture. Her mind was so consumed in pleasure, her heart couldn't notice it was in pain.

_When you're lovers in a dangerous time, _

_Sometimes you're made to feel as if your love's a crime._

Despite Jean Luc's advice, Marius kept going back to the bedroom door, listening as the man who killed his son took advantage of his daughter. He tried to break in several times when he thought they'd finished, but was always interrupted before he could get to the door by some manner of flirting or some sound from the bed. He felt like a dirty old man listening to his daughter like this, but he had to know as soon as Remy had left, so he could personally run him off the property with a pack of dogs.

Remy could sense Marius at the door, and he was keeping an eye on the sun, too. He was to be gone by the time it came up. He knew that unless he really was gone, Marius could kill him, and not start a war. His excommunication would be official. So much to risk for one night with a woman he'd already had more than his share of nights with. But then again, there was always someone on the other side of the door wanting to kill him for tainting Belle, who hadn't exactly been snow white even when they'd first done this. He preferred the father to the son. At least he knew why Marius was sitting outside the door. Julien had always disturbed and scared him when he stayed with Belle.

_Nothing worth having comes without some kind of fight _

_You gotta kick at the darkness till it bleeds daylight._

Belle couldn't help but let her mind wander as the she watched the sky lighten. She pushed Remy onto his back, and tormented him the way he'd tormented her. Before had been the time for sadness, now was the time for planning. She would go with him, of course. He'd never survive out there and keep his sanity. Not the way he looked. Even she had to admitt that his eyes were usually frightening. He rarely ever looked like the carefree boy he pretended to be. She couldn't let him go. Never. So she would sneak after him, and protect him form harm. She would help him stay sane. She would stay sane herself, never loose her lover, she would fight like the assassin she was.

Her ferocious thoughts affected the way she teased Remy, and he had to gasp when she got too rough, enjoying this side, despite himself. He'd hardly ever seen Belle let loose like this, and it was the best way to leave. He could convince himself that she was dangerous for him, and still have these memories floating around in his head.

_We were lovers in a dangerous time_

The sun's rays touched the foot of the bed, and Remy jerked out of Belle's arms. He kissed her deeply, telling her he loved her one last time. He got dressed in record time, and jumped out the window, just as Marius broke into Belle's room, making the woman scream and yell at her father for not knocking, scrambling for sheets that had been lost during the night. She wrapped the sheet around herself and realized she'd have to stall her father to save her husband's life. That meant giving him enough of a head start so her father couldn't find his trail. She wouldn't be able to find him, either. Belle sighed and nodded grimly, before stalling like she'd never stalled before, whispering her undying love to the window, hoping her husband would hear somehow.

* * *

Reveiw!

Peace and Love,

Panther Nesmith


End file.
